BCSO: Men impersonated law enforcement, shot at home

Wednesday

YOUNGSTOWN — Two men employed with a local security company allegedly passed themselves off as law enforcement officers when they were found shooting at a house and barn in Youngstown.

De'Vonte Allen and Sergio Otano were charged with Trespassing on Property (Armed), Impersonating a Law Enforcement Officer, Criminal Mischief-$1000 or more, and Firing a Missile into a Dwelling. Allen was arrested in Seminole County and will need to be extradited to Bay County.

Late last month, residents of a Merlin Road property in Youngstown came home to allegedly find Allen and Otano in their backyard shooting into their barn, according to the Bay County Sheriff's Office. The two men were dressed like "law enforcement" in all black, with a bullet proof vest, firearms and patches on their shoulders, and they identified themselves as such, saying they were at the property "searching for looting since the storm," according to court records. They said they had permission to be on the property, first saying they were code enforcement, then saying they worked for Panama City Police.

The residents noticed that the glass in the back door of their home was broken and while the men denied shooting into the home, multiple bullet holes were found. According to BCSO, the men said they would document the bullet holes, but instead fled in a silver Chevy Malibu.

Digging by BCSO turned up Allen, who used to work for a security company on a temporary basis. Allen's social media account led them to the second man, Otano. Neither worked for Panama City Police or Code Enforcement.

According to BCSO, Allen and Otano were working for a local security firm and were waiting on their clearance to work for FEMA as security personnel in the area. Otano was taken into custody when he arrived to work at the security firm.

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